Reborn as a Dragon:Rise of The Draconic King-Chapter 72 - 68: The Difference Between Hunter and Prey
The clearing exploded into motion.
The hunters scattered the moment John spoke.
Roderic didn’t hesitate.
"Spread out! Don’t cluster!"
Years of experience kicked in instantly. The group broke formation and moved in practiced directions, creating distance between one another.
That alone showed their level of skill.
They were not amateurs.
But against a dragon—
Skill only delayed the inevitable.
---
John moved.
Not with the slow, lumbering motion the hunters expected.
But with terrifying speed.
His massive body shifted forward in a blur of black scales and crushing muscle.
**BOOM**
The ground shattered where his claw struck.
One of the chain specialists barely rolled away in time as a crater opened where he had stood.
John blinked.
"...Fast."
The hunter scrambled backward, face pale.
"I—I’m still alive."
"Barely," John replied calmly.
---
Behind the dragon—
"Lightning Lance!"
A mage thrust his staff forward.
A spear of condensed lightning shot toward John’s neck.
The spell hit.
**CRACK**
Electricity exploded across his scales.
Blue sparks danced along his wings.
For a moment—
The hunters held their breath.
Then John tilted his head.
"...That tickled."
The mage’s face drained of color.
"That’s impossible."
John flexed his wings, dispersing the last of the lightning.
"Your mana output is decent."
He looked genuinely thoughtful.
"But you’re aiming at the wrong places."
---
"Fire!"
Two crossbowmen released enchanted bolts simultaneously.
The projectiles screamed through the air.
One aimed for John’s eye.
The other for the joint of his wing.
This time—
John didn’t bother tanking it.
His head moved slightly.
The first bolt missed his eye by centimeters.
The second bolt struck his wing—
And bounced off.
**CLINK**
The hunter whispered in disbelief.
"...Even the wing joints?"
John glanced back.
"You’re thinking of wyverns."
"I’m not a wyvern."
---
Roderic dashed forward.
His sword ignited with mana.
Unlike the others, he didn’t attack recklessly.
He aimed for a precise moment.
John’s attention shifted briefly toward the mages.
That was the opening.
Roderic leaped.
His blade struck the dragon’s leg joint with all the strength he possessed.
**CLANG**
The impact rang like a cathedral bell.
Roderic landed and slid across the dirt.
He stared at his sword.
The edge was chipped.
John slowly looked down at him.
"...That one almost worked."
Roderic froze.
"Almost?"
John lifted his leg slightly.
The scale Roderic struck had a faint scratch.
Barely visible.
But it was there.
For a moment—
Hope flickered in the hunters’ eyes.
Then John said calmly,
"You’re the only one here who might actually hurt me."
The hope vanished.
---
Back in Greenwood Village—
Lythriel stood on the highest platform with a long-range mana lens.
The magical device allowed her to see distant mana signatures clearly.
And what she saw made her sigh.
"...Well."
Commander Aerion stood beside her.
"What?"
"They’re trying."
"That bad?"
"They landed a hit."
Aerion blinked.
"That sounds impressive."
"It scratched him."
"...Oh."
A few younger elves nearby had gathered to watch through lesser scrying lenses.
One of them whispered nervously,
"Should we... help?"
Aerion shook his head.
"No."
"Why not?"
Lythriel answered quietly.
"Because if we interfere, the humans will assume we’re protecting the dragon."
The young elf blinked.
"...We *are* protecting the dragon."
"Yes," Lythriel said.
"But they don’t need to know that."
---
Back in the clearing—
The hunters regrouped quickly.
Roderic raised his sword again.
"Listen carefully."
The others gathered near him.
"We can’t overpower it."
One of the younger hunters snapped,
"Obviously!"
Roderic ignored him.
"We focus on mobility and control."
The mage nodded quickly.
"Bind the wings?"
"Yes."
"And blind it if possible."
Another hunter whispered nervously,
"...If possible."
---
John watched them whisper.
He looked mildly disappointed.
"You’re planning again."
Roderic didn’t deny it.
"Yes."
John sighed.
"...Humans always do this."
"What?"
"You talk so much during fights."
Roderic tightened his grip on his sword.
"That’s because we don’t enjoy dying."
John shrugged.
"Fair."
---
Suddenly—
John inhaled.
The temperature in the clearing dropped instantly.
Mana gathered in his chest.
The hunters felt it.
A pressure like the air itself was collapsing.
The mage screamed,
"MOVE!"
Too late.
John opened his jaws.
**FWOOOOOOOOOOOOM**
Black dragonfire erupted across the clearing.
The flame wasn’t ordinary fire.
It moved like liquid darkness.
Trees ignited instantly.
The ground melted.
The hunters dove for cover as the inferno swept across the battlefield.
The younger hunter screamed as heat washed over him.
"Shield!"
The mage threw up a barrier just as the flames reached them.
The barrier cracked.
Shattered.
But it slowed the fire long enough for them to survive.
When the flames faded—
Half the clearing was gone.
Burned to blackened ash.
The air shimmered with heat.
Smoke curled toward the sky.
---
John exhaled a small plume of smoke.
"...That felt good."
The hunters stared in shock.
One of the crossbowmen whispered,
"...We’re dead."
Roderic shook his head.
"Not yet."
He scanned the battlefield quickly.
Two hunters were burned but alive.
The mage looked exhausted.
One chain specialist had lost his weapon entirely.
They were still standing.
But barely.
---
John tilted his head again.
"You’re still standing."
Roderic stepped forward.
"We didn’t come here to die."
John looked curious.
"Then why did you come?"
Silence fell.
Finally Roderic answered.
"Because people said a dragon was killing everything in the forest."
John blinked.
"...What?"
"You heard me."
"You thought I was hunting villages?"
"That’s what the guild report said."
John stared at him.
Then he started laughing.
Not a cruel laugh.
A genuinely amused one.
Deep and rumbling.
"You crossed half a kingdom... to kill me..."
"...because of a guild rumor?"
The hunters shifted uneasily.
Roderic frowned.
"...You’re saying it’s false?"
John stopped laughing.
"Yes."
"I hunt monsters."
"I don’t hunt villages."
The mage blinked.
"...That actually matches the mana disturbances."
One of the hunters muttered,
"...You mean we might have started a fight with a dragon for no reason?"
John grinned.
"Oh no."
"There was a reason."
The hunter swallowed.
"What reason?"
John’s golden eyes gleamed.
"You brought weapons."
---
High above the trees—
The watching scouts flinched as another shockwave rolled across the valley.
One whispered,
"...The forest is going to need a lot of replanting."
The other nodded slowly.
"Yes."
"And the hunters are about to learn a very expensive lesson."
---
Back in the clearing—
Roderic slowly lowered his sword.
"You’re not attacking nearby settlements."
"No."
"You’re killing the monsters in this forest."
"Yes."
The hunters looked at one another.
John waited patiently.
Then he said something that made the situation worse.
"...But now I’m curious."
Roderic frowned.
"About what?"
John smiled slightly.
"How strong human hunters actually are."
The ground trembled again as the dragon stepped forward.
"You already attacked me."
"That means the fight should continue."
The younger hunter whispered in horror,
"...He’s enjoying this."
John’s wings slowly spread again.
"Oh, very much."
---
But Roderic suddenly raised his hand.
"Wait."
The dragon paused.
That alone shocked the hunters.
John blinked.
"...Yes?"
Roderic took a slow breath.
"We made a mistake."
John tilted his head.
"That happens."
"We attacked without confirming the truth."
"Yes."
"And now we’re outmatched."
John nodded.
"That is also true."
The hunters waited.
Roderic finally said it.
"...We withdraw."
Silence filled the clearing.
John stared at him.
Then he started laughing again.
"You think you can just leave?"
Roderic met the dragon’s gaze.
"...Can we?"
John thought about it.
For several seconds the massive dragon said nothing.
Then he spoke.
"...Maybe."
The hunters froze.
"But," John continued, "first you answer a question."
Roderic nodded.
"Ask."
John lowered his head slightly.
His golden eyes studied each of them.
"Who told your guild about me?"
The hunters exchanged uneasy looks.
Finally the mage spoke.
"It came through the central guild network."
"That’s vague."
"Yes."
"But the report mentioned destroyed monster territories... and sightings of a massive black dragon."
John narrowed his eyes slightly.
"...Someone reported me."
"Yes."
"And exaggerated the story."
The mage nodded slowly.
"That seems likely."
John’s claws dug slightly into the earth.
That was interesting.
Someone had deliberately spread that rumor.
But why?
---
Far away—
Deep within a distant city—
A hooded figure sat quietly in a dim room.
A crystal communication orb flickered softly on the table.
A distorted voice spoke from within it.
"Status."
The hooded figure smiled.
"The hunters found the dragon."
"And?"
"They’re probably dead."
The voice in the crystal chuckled.
"Good."
The figure leaned back.
"But even if they survive..."
"...the kingdom now knows the dragon exists."
The crystal glowed faintly.
"Phase one is complete."
---
Back in the forest—
John slowly looked back at the hunters.
"...Interesting."
Roderic frowned.
"What is?"
"I think you were sent here."
"Sent?"
"As bait."
The hunters stared at him.
"What?"
John smiled slightly.
"Someone wanted people to discover me."
Roderic felt a chill run down his spine.
"...Why?"
John’s wings folded slowly.
"That’s what I intend to find out."
The dragon stepped aside.
"You can leave."
The hunters didn’t move.
John raised an eyebrow.
"...Before I change my mind."
That was enough.
The group immediately began retreating.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Never turning their backs on the dragon.
---
High above the forest—
The watching scouts blinked in confusion.
"...They’re leaving?"
Aerion looked through the lens.
"...Apparently."
Lythriel frowned.
"That’s unexpected."
Then she sighed.
"...Which means something worse is probably coming."
---
Back in the clearing—
John watched the hunters disappear into the trees.
The forest slowly grew quiet again.
Burned earth.
Broken trees.
Scorched air.
He looked around at the destruction.
"...Lythriel is going to complain about this."
Then he stretched his wings lazily.
But his golden eyes were thoughtful.
Someone had spread rumors about him.
Someone powerful enough to manipulate guild networks.
Someone who wanted the world to know a dragon was in Greenwood Forest.
John smiled slowly.
"...Now that is interesting."
And somewhere beyond the forest—
Plans were already moving.
The appearance of a dragon had begun to ripple across the kingdom.
Armies.
Guilds.
Kings.
And far older creatures.
All of them would soon learn the same truth the hunters had discovered today.
There was a dragon in Greenwood Forest.
And it was far stronger than anyone expected.
---
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